Synthetic
by Keizer
Summary: In a world where everything is fake, only you are real, yet you're not real at all. So tell me, what is real and what is fake? The sky or the earth? Show me reality amd I shall show you fantasy. (AU;RikuxSora)


After much digging through the Kingdom Hearts fanfiction fandom, I found a lack of the sci-fi Riku/Sora fics that I've been craving lately. Hence, why I chose to write one myself. I do hope you enjoy this story.

Disclaimer: I'm neither rich nor legally old enough to own Kingdom Hearts.

* * *

**Synthetic**

**Chapter 1**

**Prelude**

Riku walked to the academy. It was a simple fact of life though he was most certainly wealth enough to get a ride. However, Riku enjoyed the simplistic joy that he could find in the silent walk down the lanes with flora growing all around. It was pity that all the flora were just holograms; Riku would have enjoyed the sweet aroma of the real plants very much as well, but real plants were high maintenance, and society could not afford to have anyone doing something as useless as taking care of some outdoor decoration when they could simply be replaced by holograms. The short stroll to the academy ended all too quickly for Riku's tastes as the grand granite structure came into view. Students were pouring into the academy, some riding electro-magnetic mobiles, or EMMs, while others were simply dropped off.

"HHHHAAAAPPPPYYYYYY BBBBIIIIIRRRTTTHHHDDDAAYYY, RRRIIIIIKKUUUU!!!!!!" Riku winced as he heard Selphie and Kairi's excited shriek. Sure it was his birthday, but it was no different from any other day in his life. The only people who remembered his birthday, other than himself, were his friends at the academy. Riku waited expressionlessly for his friends, Kairi, Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka, to join him.

"Hey man, we know you're loaded and all, but we got something real special for ya," Tidus huffed as he tried to catch his breath after sprinting over to his friend.

"What could be so special that you guys _had_ to get for me?" Riku inquired skeptically.

"Well…You'll see after classes," stated Kairi with a secretive wink. Riku simply rolled his eyes and continued tromping toward the academy, leaving his friends behind to scheme and loiter.

xXx

Riku could only gape at all of the magnificent GEMs, Generic Evolutionary Mechanisms, on display. This was certainly was a treat. While just about everyone owned a GEM, touring the House of GEMs was a special treat. All of the greatest GEMs ever created were on display here, and were studied carefully to find a more conventional way for similar GEMs to be created. Because of the volatile nature of the research that goes on in the House of GEMs, visits to the House were rarily granted.

The glass tanks that held the GEMs frozen behind their translucent barriers displayed various versions of the ideal of the perfect human. Some of the GEMs had model-like statures while others looked like normal people though they were still incredibly pleasing to the eye. As Riku wandered ahead of his friends and emerged in the domed center of the House, he could only stare in awe at the GEM frozen in the tank in the middle of the room. There was some life-like, ethereal quality that none of the other beautiful GEMs of the House had. Riku slowly sauntered over to the tank the confined the exquisite creature to an eternal slumber, afraid to breathe too loudly lest he diturb the sleep of a divine god. Hesitantly, Riku's fingertips ghosted over the icy glass barrier.

It was like a sudden jolt. Riku found himself drowning in a brilliant pair of lapis eyes, glowing with life. A blaring, ear-piercing siren rang throughout the House an important-looking worker of the facility flew past Riku as raced over to the tank. Calling rapidly to his fellow workers through the speaker attached to the collar of his lab coat, he repeated excitedly, "Sapphire has awoken! Sapphire has awoken!"

xXx

The steam dragon curled languidly as it floated over the space above Riku's teacup. Riku watched as the whispy dragon danced daintily in front of his face.

"Mr. Darrien, I would just like to thank you for helping us on such a difficult project." The director of the House's voice roused Riku from his haze of brooding. The elegant silver line that was perched above Riku's right eye rose and arced in question at the director's words.

"I'm afraid I don't quite comprehend what you're saying, sir."

"Well…Sapphire is the last GEM created by the infamous GEM designer, Dr. Hikari. It is said to be his masterpiece. Unfortunately, Dr. Hikari passed on before he could activate Sapphire. When Sapphire came to the House, we were unable to activate it due to its unusual design. It's nothing like we've ever seen before. We've been trying to activate it since Dr. Hikari passed on fifty years ago. My predecessor spent the last of days trying to figure out how to activate it. So, Mr. Darrien, how did you activate it? We would very much appreciate it if you enlightened us with your knowledge?"

"I just touched the glass."

"Is that it?"

" Yes."

"All you did was touch the glass?"

"Yes."

"Is that true?"

"…"

xXx

After the unusual encounter at the House of GEMs, Riku saw those haunting azure eyes everywhere. They stalked his dreams, both waking and sleeping, and haunted him wherever he went. All Riku could ever think about were those blue, blue eyes, and his distracted behavior were worrying his friends.

"You should go see a psychoanalyzer, Riku!!! I mean you're so…messed up. Oh, and I mean that in a good way!"

"Yeah, Selphie's right, Riku. You should go talk to a pyscheanalyzer. You're acting kinda weird…Even for you."

"I'm fine. There's nothing wrong with me, so leave me alone."

"Bull, don't lie you've been acting this way ever since we took you to the House to look at the GEMs."

"Does it haf to do with tha GEM tha'cha activated?" Four pairs of eyes focused on Wakka as soon as he asked the question.

"Maybe."

"So tha means 'yea.'"

"…"

"Why don't you pay another visit to the House, Riku?"

xXx

People bustled around the unusual cerulean-eyed GEM with cinnamon locks, probing, stroking, pinching, overall molesting the hapless, unresponsive GEM, trying to coax a reaction out of it. Riku could not help but shake his head sadly as he watched the proceedings in the room behind the glass. A tired sigh escaped his lips, as Riku continued watching the GEM through half closed eyes.

It was as though Riku's sigh woke the GEM up from its trance. Slowly, the pallid lids cleared the clear blue diamond orbs, once, twice. The researchers gaped in wonder as the GEM slowly stood and walked toward Riku until the only thing separating the two of them was the thin sheet of glass.

Once again Riku found himself staring into the same deep, yet blank gaze. Time seemed to stand still until the scraping of chairs and shuffling of feet churned the world once again.

xXx

Riku led his new GEM home. After that encounter with the GEM, he returned to the House everyday to visit the GEM, just so he could gaze into those bewitching star sapphire eyes. Seeing his repetitive visits for over two months, the director decided to give the GEM to him.

"Hmm…You need a name. Sapphire is a reference, not really a name…What should I call you?" Riku looked to the sky, perhaps the only real thing in this world, for inspiration.

"Sora…"

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Well, it's two in the morning here in the golden state. If there are any mistakes, please point them out to me. Oh, if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Ja ne!


End file.
